Trailer Bearings

[Haji-Baba]

All you readers who have not yet checked the bearings on your new
trailers/ caravans etc. please do so A.S.A.P.

Helping my son today, do his first bearing grease and guess what,
no split pin in the nearside front wheel of a tandem rig.

How this bearing did not come off is beyond me.

Rotation of wheel and nut are the same.

The stub axel was not slotted for a locking type washer

The manufacturer has been informed and has promised to look into it.

I expect a reply from them in due course.

The name of the trailer shall remain undisclosed for now depending on developments.

This is not a common fault but should no be ignored.

Have Fun Haji-Baba

[Poodroo]

Not good at all. Have two brand new Dunbier trailers(own two boats) and both have been spot on. Very happy with that brand of trailer. Also if you haven't already done so invest in some bearing buddies. Highly recommend them. Good luck with your pending resolve.

Poodroo

[PinHead]

forget the bearing buddies..get oil filled bearings instead.

[barradise]

good stuff

[FNQCairns]

All you readers who have not yet checked the bearings on your new
trailers/ caravans etc. please do so A.S.A.P.

Helping my son today, do his first bearing grease and guess what,
no split pin in the nearside front wheel of a tandem rig.

How this bearing did not come off is beyond me.

Rotation of wheel and nut are the same.

The stub axel was not slotted for a locking type washer

The manufacturer has been informed and has promised to look into it.

I expect a reply from them in due course.

The name of the trailer shall remain undisclosed for now depending on developments.

This is not a common fault but should no be ignored.

Have Fun Haji-Baba

So the manufacturer w ould like you to believe he imported the axle and hubs as one piece going concerns from india/china/etc? Where the springs also attatched over there::) Is this the way it is done now, suspect the manufacturer would be a slum boss to a couple of blokes who work to assemble them in-house??

cheers fnq

[AnthonyL]

Our boat is 2 years old and it just cost $1100 to repair the trailer as the bearing buddies came out and damaged the axle.

[Poseidon]

Some swear by bearing buddies some hate them.... I am not a big fan of them and would rather take the hour or so every few months and remove the bearings, check for wear, clean and repack.

Gives you something to do on those wet weekends.

[black runner]

I ran bearing buddies on my last trailer. Wasn't overly impressed with the quality especially the thin pressed piston that seems to cock over to one side. My new (second hand) boat trailer I have left alone just using quality bearings, seals and grease. I bought some heavy rubber cups that go over the standard dust cap and seal around the hub. Checked the bearings after 6 mths and not a drop of water infiltration.

Cheers - Fred

[Haji-Baba]

Spot on Poseidon,

That way when the bearings fall apart in your hands you know when to replace them.

I have bearing buddies of a home made type on my portable trailer and when I grease them I have to be careful not to blow the seals out on the inside of the wheel.

Seriously though I have heard a few "tales" about missing split pins and wheels coming off trailers/vans and it is a bit of a worry.

My wife and I tour round quite a bit with the van and car topper and at 100 clicks I sure don't want to lose a wheel.

It seems we travel faster on the heavily trafficked roads where we are being "hunted" down by trucks new 4x4s' and when we get out in the country we slow down, because we can. I would hate to lose a wheel on some of the busy roads

It is amazing even at the speed limit how many drivers must pass the
"old" 80 series Cruiser towing the van.

Have Fun Haji-Baba

[bdm56]

Poodroo, the warning still stands. Picked up my new Dunbier trailer, stopped for something on way home and as always when I pull up touched the wheel hubs to see if any abnormal heat. R/H side warmer than normal. Took wheels off when I got home and discovered the warm wheel had it's bearing nut done up so tight the wheel wouldn't spin freely. Seal at the back of the wheel had given up from heat and grease spread all over inside of rim. Same trailer had main wiring harness crushed and a bare wire from being caught under a bolt and washer when they were done up !

Can happen with any brand. I now go over every inch of new stuff to check,

[finga]

forget the bearing buddies..get oil filled bearings instead.
Best things since sliced bread.
If I had to drown my trailers these buggers would be on.
Seeing I don't drown any of them I just have the original tin caps.
Too many horror stories about the buddies falling off etc etc.
I saw some of the bearing bears in Bias boating and if I remember they were only around the 60-70 smackers.
When you work it out with the bearing bears you can see instantly if there's any water in the oil so you don't have to do the continuous checking and repacking so if you repack or redo your bearings every 3-6 months (you should check even with the bearing buddies) the bearing bears (oil filled doovers) will pay for themselves in the first 6 months.

[BM]

Except the oil filled hubs have a habit of leaking.... And you often need to fit a new axle to begin with as any marks on the bearing surface will cause the oil to leak out in quick time.

But they are a good concept.

[finga]

Except the oil filled hubs have a habit of leaking.... And you often need to fit a new axle to begin with as any marks on the bearing surface will cause the oil to leak out in quick time.

But they are a good concept.
Good point about the sealing surface on the axle matey.
Most axles aren't machined anywhere near the tolerances needed for seals of any description.
I normally fit those speedi sleeves on the axle when I fit the oil filled buggers.
Problem solvered :)

[charleville]

I normally fit those speedi sleeves on the axle



What are speedi sleeves, please Finga?




http://img.skitch.com/20080119-pmymj2j3h1prq1rf7yatr9cu7c.jpg

BTW, the replacement front floor of my boat has been cut to shape and has been sealed and cured and today's job is to glue on a new piece of carpet to it so that tomorrow I can go and enjoy this. Yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://img.skitch.com/20080119-q9bgbnmjktpjbx4125ehf9qwgp.jpg


;D ;D ;D


.

[finga]

These buggers matey
http://www.acorn-ind.co.uk/products/speedi-sleeve.htm
Basically they're a very thin sleeve you press, whack, drive onto a worn shaft to 'renew' the seal surface.
They've saved me more then a few times in the past on water pump shafts.

More importantly where you off to tomorrow??
I should go and give my brothers old tub a run seeing it's in the water already.

[charleville]

T
More importantly where you off to tomorrow??


If the weather is as good as the forecast suggests, I will go to the Sandhills and up to the Four Beacons and around that general area to see if there is any surface activity.


Even if there isn't, I look forward to crab sandwiches on Tuesday as I shall drop some pots in deep water on the way. :D


Good weather for fishing is so fleeting this month. Ya gotta use it while you can. 8-)

[BM]

True, you could use speedy sleeves. I have seen personally and read a number of accounts of these setups leaking, when properly installed. I prefer a conventional bearing setup and advise customers to replace them annually. Hassle free.

[TonyM]

I need to submerge my trailer and currently have bearing buddies + make sure the hubs are cold before I launch.

My short term plan is to service the bearings regularly and keep this setup however I'm very tempted to get the oil filled version. It's a tough call for me on this!

Another possible downside to the oil filled hubs is if they fall off you lose all the lubricant, unlike bearing buddies where at least you should still have grease on the bearings...

I know this probably shouldn't happen if installed properly, however you know murphys law.... Someone off this board had just that happen on the road out to Lenthalls Dam last year, his durahub (I think that was the brand) fell off and lost all the oil (obviously) leaving dry bearings, you know the rest of the story.

Apparently they are spposed to be loc-tited on and I don't think his were - however gives food for thought!

BM if they leak after being installed as per instructions I think I'll save my cash - were they installed on a new hub or with speedy sleeves?

[FNQCairns]

As above I prefer the conventional bearings, less problems overall and with basic maintenace quite infrequently I know there will be no dramatic surprises, have this time gone back to automotive style dust seals and think I will stick with them, very impressed over the marine style far as keeping the salt water out, I dunk well.

cheers fnq